Taylor Zakhar Perez Knows You’re Looking, and He’s Fine With That

Taylor Zakhar Perez is juggling secrecy, scripts and a whole lot of attention. While the actor is currently in London filming the follow-up to Amazon Prime’s Red, White & Royal Blue, officially titled Red, White & Royal Wedding, he’s also front and center in a new Lacoste underwear campaign that’s hard to miss. Literally.

The campaign, released today, marks Zakhar Perez’s second turn as the brand’s ambassador and is expected to appear on billboards from Paris to Times Square. Shirtless photos aside, the moment lands as the actor’s profile continues to rise, fueled by romance fandoms, studio buzz and his own ambitions behind the camera.

“I know people are going to see it,” he admitted in a recent interview. “That was part of the commitment.” Training With a Deadline in Mind

Preparation for an underwear shoot is less about vanity and more about routine, Zakhar Perez explained. In the months leading up to filming, he leaned into functional football workouts, training alongside collegiate and semi-pro athletes.

“That structure really works for me,” he told GQ Magazine. “I’m good with deadlines, and this had one.”

Unlike crash diets or extreme cuts, his approach stayed consistent. Raised on organic food long before it became a trend, Zakhar Perez said he’s learned to trust instinct over restriction.

“I just ask myself if I’ll feel good afterward,” he said. “If the answer’s no, I skip it.”

That mindset extends to set life, where craft services can be tempting. While some productions leave him packing meals, the Red, White sequel has made restraint easier.

“They take care of us,” he said, laughing. “But if my shirt’s coming off the next day, I know when to say no.” A Shift From the First Campaign

Zakhar Perez’s debut Lacoste campaign last year sparked a wave of social media reaction, quickly cementing him as a certified internet crush. This time, the actor said the difference was clarity.

“I knew what I wanted going in,” he said. “Last time, I didn’t quite get there.”

Shot in Paris by photographer Angelo Pennetta and styled by Jason Bolden, the new visuals trade balconies for locker rooms. One standout video leans into movement, pairing a dance sequence with a playlist that included Purple Disco Machine, Michael Sembello and Little Simz, an intentional nod to confidence over posing. Beyond the Billboards

Though fans may be focused on the campaign, Zakhar Perez’s attention is split. Between filming overseas and quietly developing adaptations of romance novels, he’s aware that visibility comes with expectation.

“I didn’t want to half-do it,” he said of returning to Lacoste. “It felt like representing something bigger than me.”

In a statement released with the campaign, Zakhar Perez described the partnership as collaborative rather than transactional, calling the latest work “intentional” and rooted in trust. He added that his hope is for the images to feel personal, even in public spaces.

Lacoste previously framed the actor’s appointment as the start of a long-term relationship, suggesting this may be only one chapter in an ongoing collaboration.

For now, Zakhar Perez seems comfortable letting the images speak, even as he keeps his next moves under wraps.

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